Lewis Hamilton stated Ferrari “undoubtedly have some work to do to enhance” as his former Mercedes team-mate George Russell set the tempo on the ultimate day of pre-season testing.
Russell pipped Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.021 seconds with a lap simply 5 minutes earlier than the top of the day’s operating.
Hamilton ended the day sixth quickest in his Ferrari, 0.8 seconds off Russell.
Williams driver Alex Albon was third quickest, forward of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
Hamilton stated: “It is exhausting to know what gasoline hundreds everyone seems to be operating so it’s a must to take every thing with a pinch of salt.
“(McLaren) received the constructors’ (title) final yr. We count on them to be one of many quickest if not the quickest. As with Purple Bull, they dominated for a few years. We have undoubtedly obtained some work to do to enhance.”
Hamilton, talking earlier than he drove within the afternoon session, was optimistic about his first pre-season take a look at along with his new crew.
“I really feel like we have constructed a extremely good basis however these guys on the market look actually aggressive, it appears very shut,” he stated.
“That is probably the most optimistic feeling I’ve had for a very long time.”
However his day ended early when Ferrari curtailed his operating prematurely, earlier than he was in a position to full a deliberate race distance.
Hamilton was practically 0.5secs faster than team-mate Charles Leclerc however was operating a tyre compound one step softer. He additionally drove within the afternoon session whereas Leclerc went within the morning.
Pre-season testing is a notoriously unreliable indication of true competitiveness as there are such a lot of elements that may distort the image.
Groups don’t reveal the specification during which they had been operating their vehicles, and gasoline hundreds and engine modes have a serious impression on efficiency.
As well as, the climate situations on Friday had been very totally different from the day earlier than – Friday was sunny and significantly hotter, with a stronger wind, which means the monitor was slower than it had been on Thursday.
Regardless of Verstappen’s tempo, the Purple Bull seemed tough to drive, and the crew had been attempting out totally different set-ups and configurations on the automobile, together with swapping between two totally different entrance wing specs.
The four-time world champion had a spin late within the day at Flip One.
Day 3 times
1. George Russell (Mercedes) 1:29.545
2. Max Verstappen (Purple Bull) +0.021
3. Alex Albon (Williams) +0.105*
4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.395
5. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +0.495
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.800*
7. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) +0.952
8. Esteban Ocon (Haas) +1.183
9. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +1.266
10. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +1.343
11. Lando Norris (McLaren) +1.398
12. Jack Doohan (Alpine) +1.694
13. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +2.154
14. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) +2.181
15. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) +2.216
16. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +2.539
17. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) +2.602
18. Oliver Bearman (Haas) +2.816
* = time set on C4 tyres, all others on C3, which is more durable and slower
